Android Messages for Web went official just last week and so far, it seems like everyone is loving it. Having access to your messages from the desktop is great, but locking it to a tab can be a bit annoying. Thankfully, a third-party developer has managed to build an unofficial desktop client for all major platforms.

The best gifts for Android users

Chris Knepper recently launched an early build of a native Android Messages client for desktop on Github, and it already works really well. The app is available for free on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Personally, I’ve tested it a bit on Windows 10 and it works great. Set up is just as easy as it is within your standard browser with a simple QR code to pair. There’s no signing in to deal with, and if you opt to “remember this computer,” the app re-establishes the connection if you happen to close out of the app.

Once set up, the app works as you’d expect, and it even fully supports native notifications which I love. The window resizes well too. Unfortunately, you do need to leave it open at all times to maintain the connection and continue notifications.

This app is still very much in its early days, but so far it seems to work just fine. If you’re eager to use Android Messages from your computer but don’t want to constantly deal with tab hunting, this is a great option, especially now that everyone has access to the functionality.

To download the app, simply head over to Github to pick up the latest version for the platform of your choice.